Winding-signal for a talking-machine.



T. KEEPFEH.

WINDING SIGNAL FOR A lTALKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV.2?, I9I6,

Iatented Sept. 18, 191? marin. srnans nirnnrr unieron.

THOMAS KEEPFR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

XVINDING-SIGNAL FOR A TALKING-MACHINE.

Application filed November 27, 1916. Serial No. 133,652.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS KEEPFER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Winding-Signal for a Talking-Machine,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in providing a talking machine with a device which will signal the running down 'or approximate running down of the spring or motor employed, and direct attention to the fact that re-winding is requisite, the signal being either audible or visual.

The invention is satisfactorily illustrated` in the accompanying drawing, but the important instrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so it is to be understood that'the invention isnot limited to the specific details shownand described.

Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of a talking machine embodiment of my invention.

Slmilar numerals of reference indicateV corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates the spring employed as a motor for the rotation of the record turntable of a talking machine, and 2 designates the cylinder or casing therefor. In the side wall 3 of said cylinder is the slot 4 which extends radially therein, in the present case from the periphery thereof and has in it the sliding dog 5 which has on its inner face thc finger or pin 6 which extends rearwardly therefrom into the cylinder 2, so as to be at a certain time in the path of the outer convolution or coil 7 of the spring 1, it being noticed that the peripheral wall 8 of said cylinder has therein the opening 9 through which at one time the outer terminal or nose portion 10 of the dog 5 is adapted to protrude as shown in Fig. 2 and. at another time said portion is adapted to remain in said opening as shown in Fig. 4.

To the underside of the top 11 of the cabinet of the machineis secured the bell 12 whose hammer 13 is carried on the arm or lever 14 which is mounted on the hanger 15 on said cabinet. To the outer face of said dog 5 is secured the pin 16 which projects outwardly therefrom and enters the boX 17 vwhich is secured to the side wall 3 of the cylinder 8 and has connected with it one end of the spring 18 whose other end is secured within said box 17 as to the pin 16, see Figs. 3 and 4. On the outer face of said dog 5 adjacent to the pin 16 is the shoulder 19 which is adapted to play in the slot 20 in the plate 21 which 'carries the box 17, said plate being fastened also to the wall 3 of the Specification of Letters Patent. i Patented Sept. f8, 1917.

cylinder 2. The wall 22 of the outerterminal of said slot 20, see Figs. 3 and 7, forms a stop for the abutment therewith of the- -shoulder 19 to limit the outer mot-ion of the1 dog` 5, see Fig. 1.

The. bell carrying lever 14 is extended beyond its axis 23 on the hanger 15 forming4 the heel 24 which occupies a position exterior of the circumferential wall of the casing 2 of the spring 1 so as to be in the path' of the nose portion 10 of the dog 5, whereby said lever will be tripped, when the spring 25 which is connected with the arm or lever and the hanger 15 will cause its hammer 13 to strike the bell 12, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The operation is as follows The spring l is wound as usual thus rotating the record holder as well known, it being evident that the spring is contracted and its outer coil or convolution is removed from the finger 6. This allows the spring 18 to be operative so as to draw back the dog 5 whereby its nose portion 10 enters the slot 9 so as to avoid its projection beyond the peripheral wall 8 of the cylinder 2, sec Fig. 4, and so as said cylinder rota-tes, the nose portion 10 of the dog is removed from the heel 24 of the lever 14 and so will not engage the same, but as usual the spring 1 unwinds and s0 expands its convolntions or Coils gradually spreading when the outer convolution 0r coil contacts with the finger G pressing the same and so forcing the dog from its position at rest whereby its nose portion 10 emerges from the slot 9 in the periphery of about completely u nwound or uncoiled, said portion 10 projects from said periphery to such extent, see Fig. 2, that when it reaches the heel 241: of the lever 14, it bears against and rides over the same so as to trip said lever, wherebythe hammer 13 isdrawn back from the bell 12 and then the spring 25 causes a 'quick return motion of said lever whereby the bell is struck signaling audibly `the run down condition of the spring or power of the machine.

If desired, the signal may be visual, in which case I may employ in lieu of the bell 12, the indicator plate 26 which is secured to the top of'theslide or sliding rod or bar 27 which passes freely through a slot in the .topll of the cabinet, and it is guided on the hanger 15, it being so disposed in relation to the dog 5 as to have its lower e'nd engaged by the .nose portion of said dog, whereby the plate will be raised, thus indicating the unwound condition of the power spring of theI machine.

After said nose clears the slide 27, the latter drops and with it the plate 26 which then occupies its normal position close to the table 11 indicating that the said spring has been wound or is suliiciently wound to operate the record turntable.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, and vdesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a talking machine, a casing rotatably mounted, a motor spring attached to saidcasing, a movable member on said casing having an inwardly projecting part for contact by said spring as the latter unwinds, said member being adapt-ed to be projected from the casing by the spring when the latter is nearly run down, and a signal having a member in the path of the first-named means to be operated by the rotation of the casing.

2. In a talking machine, a casing rotatably mounted, a motor spring attached to said casing, a movable member on said casing having an inwardly projecting part for contact by said spring as the latter unwinds, said member being adapted to be projected from the casing by the spring when the latter is nearly rundown, a signal having a member in the path of the first-named means to be operated by the rotation of the casing,

and a spring attached to the first-named member for normally holding it in its retracted position. y

3. In a talking machine, a casing rotatably mounted, a motor spring attached to said casing, a movable member on said cas- 6 ing having an inwardly-projecting part for contact by said spring as the latter unwinds, said member being adapted to be projected from the casing by the spring when the latter is nearly run down, a signal having a member in the path of the rstnamed means to be operated by the rotation of the casing, a spring attached to said first-named member for normally holding it in its retracted position,l a plate secured to said casing and havmg a slot, a container for the last-named spring carried by said plate and to which said spring is attached, anda stop member projecting from said movable member and freely movable in said slot. 75

4. In a talking machine, a rotatably mounted casing, a motor spring therein and connected therewith, a dog mounted tobe projected from said casing by the spring when the latter is nearly run down, a signal proper, a member of the latter being in the path of the projected end of said dog, and

means for holding said dog normally engaged with the coil of said spring-in the wound condition thereof.

5. In a talking machine, amotor spring, a

. rotatably mounted casing therefor, said casing being rotatable with said spring, a member movable within a slot in the wall of said casing and having a member projecting within Vthe casing for engagement by said spring as it unwinds, and a nose portion projectible through an opening in the pe.- riphery of`said casing by the spring when thelatter is nearly r'un down, and a movably 95 spring as it unwinds, and a nose portion 105 projectible through an opening in the pel riphery of said casing by the spring' when the latter is nearly run down, and a movably. mounted signal having a portion arranged in the path of said nose when projected by the unwinding of the sprin said signal being normally disconnected romsaid prol jecting portion. A

THOMAS KEEPFER. l Witnesses: i v l JOHN A. Wi'nnnnsunrwr, N. BUssINGER. 

